Reel Talk: Why 'Guerrilla' is the most important TV show of 2017

Ever heard of the Black Power Desk? I didn’t and now I’m thoroughly ashamed. In the 1970s it was Britain’s black power movement. London’s answer to the Black Panthers. And within Generation Y it has edged dangerously close to being forgotten about entirely.

But not anymore, thanks to a new TV drama from Showtime/Sky Atlantic. Guerrilla, starting next week, explores the movement in a six-part series, based on a true story of real-life activists in the black power movement scene in this period.

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It’s written and directed by John Ridley, the American Oscar-winning scriptwriter of 12 Years A Slave, exec-produced by Idris Elba and stars an exceptional Freida Pinto, in what is her most career-defining and impressive role since her debut in Danny Boyle’s 2009 hit, Slumdog Millionaire.

Pinto plays Jas, a British-Asian nurse whose passion for civil rights grows from peaceful protestor to gun-wielding activist in one episode. Babou Ceesay plays her boyfriend, Marcus, who also gets swept up in activism, in response to a brutally racist police force. Elba has a minor but crucial role as Jas’ ex-lover and fellow campaigner for black rights. The cast also boasts Zawe Ashton, with Rory Kinnear and Daniel Mays as police officers.

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I attended the London premier of the series last night, with the cast and Ridley in attendance. My job has taken me to countless film and TV screenings over the years, but never in my career have I witnessed one so passionate, charged and hotly-debated as this.

The crowd winced and gasped throughout the hour-long first episode and erupted into applause when it ended. As is customary with press-screenings, a Q&A followed where audience members had the opportunity to grill Ridley the cast. And, boy, did they grill.

Two members of the audience, who themselves had personal links to the British black power movement, questioned the lack of black women actually cast in the show. A fascinating debate escalated, between them Ridley, Ceesay, Pinto and even other audience members, into the representation of minority characters on screen. Witnessing an array of such strong and passionate voices felt particularly emotive at a time when protests, politics and racial inequality are all making so many headlines in the news.

By the end, Pinto was so moved she had to wipe away tears. A visibly emotional Ridley stood up.

“This is one of the proudest moments of my entire life,” he said, eyes watering. “This cast, this crew, the people involved in this show are the most reflective cast and crew that you will find anywhere.”

Neil Kenlock, a photographer during the British black power movement whose photographs were displayed throughout the cinema, then stood up. “I am probably the only person [here] that was in the Black Panthers, and what John [Ridley] did was exactly spot on,” he said.

As the Q&A finished and the audience sloped off to a prosecco and canape-filled reception, the debate followed. In fact, it was all anyone could talk about, cast included. The atmosphere was electric, a far cry from your average press screening of a TV show.

The point is not only what people were discussing, but the fact that these discussions were being had at all. And what a potent, important time to have them.

Trump’s presidency is devastating and Brexit has our country painfully divided. But if any good can come from this, surely it’s that people – young people, Generation Y people, are more vocal opinionated than ever, craving change and ready to take action.

TV gets a bad rep for trivialising certain issues. Guerrilla is the antidote to that. It brings to light a part of history we all need to be educated on, not to mention a killer-script, glistening cast and big-budget production. If this is the way TV is going, we should all be campaigning for it.

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